Show desktop clock in local time; keep system in UTC

[phabricator-migrator]

Information

ID: 71
PHID: PHID-TASK-ylb27scpz42cwpuva6fr
Author: JasonJAyalaP
Status at Migration Time: open
Priority at Migration Time: Normal

Description

Can we somehow patch the clock to show a local time zone while leaving system time time in UTC?

This most likely requires a Whonix Greeter first so that we can get the timezone from the user.

It might be possible to configure the clock in the kde task bar. Time zone in kde clock can be changed without root rights and without affecting /etc/localtime, thus the user can have it’s clock show what she wants. It looks like this is either configured in /home/user/.kde/share/config/plasma-desktop-appletsrc and/or /home/user/.kde/share/config/ktimezonedrc.

Comments

---

JasonJAyalaP

2015-01-13 23:27:04 UTC

Is there a way to automatically get the timezone from the host or virtualizer? That would be much better usability than asking the user to scroll through a list.

We also have to deal with letting the user change the local (displayed) time whenever (s)he wants. Messing with config files might not be a robust solution.

---

JasonJAyalaP

2015-01-13 23:56:56 UTC

This should be part of the “Whonix Workstation Control Panel”. The user can change their time zone there, and the control panel does the background changes necessary to display that time zone in the current DE, but keep the system in UTC.

---

Patrick

2015-01-14 00:44:32 UTC

Is there a way to automatically get the timezone from the host or virtualizer?

No, it’s better to leave it set to UTC. Not as long as we’re not controlling the host (VBoxManage setextradata). Also this is better on a “if user wishes only” base.

That would be much better usability than asking the user to scroll through a list.

The most likely ones could be suggested after language selection that @troubadour is working on.

This should be part of the “Whonix Workstation Control Panel”

Or #whonix-setup-wizard ?

Messing with config files might not be a robust solution.

Finding that out is the TODO of this ticket.

---

HulaHoop

2015-08-18 15:55:14 UTC

I don’t think we should encourage users to set time zones because it can give away their geo location both for an adversary in the VM and for timestamp leaks by applications in the WS.

---

Patrick

2015-08-18 16:43:00 UTC

Good point.

What about hiding the clock in the task bar then by default?

---

HulaHoop

2018-12-03 17:15:06 UTC

I think hiding the clock is a bad idea as a user may want to manually run sdwdate to adjust it if it’s out of whack before initiating internet traffic. (This is on non-Qubes versions lacking auto time adjust)